Hallowed Vindication
by Erros
Summary: Murders across the city, threats against the queen. The underworld is in an uproar as someone passes judgment on England. The culprite: unknown. One young earl refuses to back down. Can Sebastian keep his master alive? Or have the gates of heaven and hell opened to reveal a foe that even he can't silence. An age old war has been awakened. And Ciel Phantomhive is in the crosshairs.
1. Declaratoin of War

**A/N: ****PLEASE READ BEFORE BEGINNING:**** If you are the type of reader that would be offended by the use of biblical references, references/explanations of God and possibly Satin *for story purposes only* ****_please turn back now. _****I promise that I DO NOT hold very strong knowledge and or bias in religious views...however ****I do not wish to offend readers****. I also unfortunatly have only seen the anime. I know...*tear* So realize that my understanding/plot will go along with that form of Black Butler.**

**Now that that's out of the way: Hi there. Its been a while since I published...and this story came out of a desire to write. I swear I have a plan for this story...so bare with me. I know this is barely any writing at all...but this is only the prologue. Please enjoy, and tell me what you think!**

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**Declaration of War**

An almost dreary night settled over the Phantomhive manor. The hour was late. And despite the thunderstorm that late February had brought upon England the residence of the Phantomhive estate were all in bed sleeping; save one demon. Sebastian treaded quietly down the corridors of the mansion, his eyes revealing little emotion in the dim candle light. Though it was his usual routine to dwell in the hallways, this particular night the butler had veered off his normal path.

The shudders shook furiously in the wind as rain pelted glass. The entire house seemed almost alive with the moaning of the roof as it withstood the storm. Yet this was not what put Sebastian on edge. A faint sound had been resonating from the library. Scratching, scuffling, scraping. Muffled as this library was far from the estates living corridors, it was none the less incessant.

As he reached the double doors, Sebastian paused. The sound had stopped. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second then narrowed. The butler could hear a faint flipping of pages on the other side of those doors followed by a fit of giggles. Immediately he pulled open the double doors.

Lighting flashed casting harsh shadows across the dark room and revealing only rain pouring in through a recently opened window. No human nor supernatural being dwelled in the library. Glancing around curiously, the butler went to close the window. Once closed he turned and sighed to himself.

"Well this just won't do."

The room was completely pristine, just as Sebastian had left it after his morning cleaning. However, a single book had been removed from the shelves and now rested on his master's desk. Closer inspection revealed it was Dante's Inferno. But that wasn't what Sebastian had qualms with.

Another crack of lighting illuminated peeled sections of wallpaper erratically pulling up every which way. Irritation aside Sebastian's interest was nonetheless peaked. Eyes glowing crimson, the butler removed his gloves as not to dirty them, then approached the wall. Ripping the wallpaper further from its place, what the demon found caused him to raise an eyebrow.

Gashes were etched within the plaster forming sharp mangled letters. The scratch marks were deep. In fact so deep that only a great deal of force could have been used to engrave them there. It was in this moment of discovery that Sebastian abruptly turned from the wall. Though cool in demeanor, malice was beginning to brew within the black clad butler. He made his way to his master's room, intending on spending the night vigilantly watching over the young earl.

The demon's footsteps were drowned out by the howling of the storm as his figure ascended into the shadows. Though the scratching had stopped, elsewhere the words carved into the Phantomhive estate were being repeated by tongue. Another wakeful soul made its way by carriage towards London. Giddily it whispered over and over the words that brought it solace. "Abandon All Hope, You Who Enter Here."

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**A/N: I find Sebastian an extremely difficult character to write about. It seems too easy to want to launch into out of character moments with him. Opinions...did he seem ok? I'm sure Ciel will be a similar ball of wax. **

**Random thought of the day: If there was a zombie apocolypse and I could chose anyone to be with me...it would be Sebastian. Why? (I'm sure some of you were already agreeing with me and therefore my question was not needed however...) Well...he's nice to look at, a demon with the ability to use cutlury as weapons, and hey if I'm going to die...I'd rather it be by his hand than by Zombies. Plus he's probably rescue all the kittens in the area...and I do like kittens. ^.^**

**Review and whatnot. But mostly review...flames are scary. O_O They light things on fire...**


	2. Mundane Tasks

**A/N: Hello all, welcome back...or welcome the story depending on what reader you are. I'll not be very distracting and just ask you to review please. By the way thank you to my first two reviewers, it always feels like Christmas when I see I've gotten a new review...maybe I'm just strange. Enjoy...hopefully.**

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**Mundane Tasks **

"Would you like more Assum tea?"

Hearing the sound of his young master chuckling, Sebastian looked up from the breakfast cart. A newspaper sat on the young earl's desk.

"Distracted are you?"

Ciel tapped his fingers on the desk rhythmically, as he read the headline, "Asylum Patients Run Wild. A fitting mess for Scotland Yard to clean up, don't you think?" He chuckled again, throwing the paper nonchalantly towards Sebastian. "Hear have a read."

"My, my," the demon said after a quick glance, "that storm really did cause quite a few problems last night. Do you suppose that a trip to town will be in order for this afternoon?"

Resting his elbow on the armchair Ciel languidly replied, "No, that won't be necessary. Even that incompetent lot can take care of asylum patients who think they're chasing banners and are being eaten by worms. I'll have no need to act unless the queen orders it so."

Sebastian went back to serving his master breakfast as he replied, "Very well my lord."

Ciel sat up a bit as he began to clear his desk."So, what was it you wanted to discuss?"

Sebastian went about straightening the room as he responded. "There was an intrusion in the manor's library last night. It appears that nothing has been stolen and only a book has been moved from its place."

Ciel raised an eyebrow skeptically. "How do you know it was an intruder if nothing had been moved except a single book?"

Sebastian's eyes narrowed for a moment before his face was masked with composure once again. "There was a message scratched into the wall that read 'Beware all who enter here.' I was wondering myself what the message meant. However while examining the book that had been misplaced from the shelf, I realized that it was a quote from that very book."

Ciel nodded, "Yes it is a quote from Dante's Inferno. Those words were inscribed on the gates of hell. It looks like we have a trickster on our hands."

For a moment the Earl sat thinking before shrugging a bit. "Well, clearly there has been no harm other than the vandalism in the library. I'll leave you to clean up the mess. For now, let us dismiss this occurrence. Keep a vigilant eye out should the intruder reappear. However-" Ciel's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he heard a commotion outside, "there seems to be more pressing matters at hand."

"Yes my lord." Sebastian bowed deeply then turned to leave, suspicion still lingering in his mind.

Minutes later and the butler was walking up to quiet a scene.

"We will clean them up real good, yes we will!" Mey Rin sat holding muddy silver wear piled in her apron, attempting to collect them from the muddied grass. Only feet away Finn was wrestling with a gardening hose that wouldn't shut off, and was consequently soaking the estate's lawn. Bard, completely drenched head to toe, was attempting to light his cigarette with little success.

Sebastian glanced down at his watch and sighed in dismay, shaking his head.

"Now _really_, we're already running late as it is. The master has a meeting with a nobleman within the hour."

The butler's name was simultaneously gasped by all three as Tanaka sat sipping his tea. Then a new flood of apologies and excuses began to pour out on the Phantomhive lawn. "We're sorry!" "They will shine yes!" "We'll make it up to the young master!" "The water just wouldn't stop!" "I tried to use my flamethrower to dry the grass!"

Sebastian ran a gloved hand over his eyes as he mustered tolerance, then began to clean up the mess, the others trying to be of use. Another day at the Phantomhive estate was beginning, and the resident demon was being plagued by the painfully mundane tasks that came along with it. It was in moments of confusion like these that neither human nor demon took notice of a misplaced piece of silver wear.

It was later that very day when a woman of pale complexion and equally transparent malice sat composing a letter with only a candle to illuminate her pen. Her face hidden in shadows, was nonetheless gleaming with excitement. Outside the streets of London were alive with activity, as the night was still young. However her pen moved across the page with vigorous intent.

It was only at the completion of her letter that the woman paused, glancing down at a copy of the Daily News. A smirk grew into a grin upon her face, then disappeared altogether. Abruptly she stood, causing her chair to crash to the floor as she swiftly made her way to an open window. Lounging precariously on the ledge, she pulled from her pocket a knife coated in dried blood. Turning it over in her hands, she watched as the cutlery gleamed in the moonlight. Finally bored with the object, she cast it out into a pool of crimson in the alleyway below.

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**A/N: I didn't want to say this at the beginning of the chapter, but DON'T PANIC...I have a plot and ending already mapped out for this story...so rest assured I'm not just randomly building week to week. I know...this second chapter was a little dull...however not EVERYTHING can be super exciting. Because...if everything was super exciting...then nothing would be. Random thought of the day: How badly would Ciel sunburn if he went on a trip somewhere tropical. My guess would be very much so...I wonder if Sebastian can save his master from the sun. Also I'd love to hear where you guys think this story is going. So comment and whatnot...but please don't set fire to the internet...or my fanfiction account. My computer wasn't built to combat flames.**


	3. A Murderer's Equation

**A/N: Hey Erros here...again. I'm suprised at the amount of attention that this story is getting...its nice. But at the same time...now I feel obligated to do well. Anyways...enjoy!**

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A Murderer's Equation

The bustling streets of London seemed to fade away as Ciel glanced briefly up at a sign that read "Undertaker." Sometimes he wondered how he always found himself coming to this crackpot for answers. Today's journey was no exception, and had started like any other recent deeds of the earl: with a letter from the Queen.

Earlier that morning the Phantomhive manor had received a letter detailing three murders that had been committed in London, all connected by a common executioner. This letter consequently delivered a plea from the queen to stop the killer and do so by any means necessary. And as the Queen's Guard Dog, Ciel could do little but accept her order. With speed he reluctantly ordered the servants to look after the manor and had Sebastian make preparations for their trip.

As he made his way by carriage towards town, Ciel contemplated the information she had given her. The first body had been found in St. Peter's church. The victim: a young up and coming atheist novelist who had been dragged from the streets outside the church and onto the alter. The second murder had been of a man who had recently bought illegal services from a prostitute. His body had been found washed up on an embankment underneath a bridge. The final victim was found in an alleyway only feet from a tavern covered in vomit from a night of drinking. A dull knife linked their fates.

After investigating the first two crime scenes the young earl had come to a conclusion: Scotland Yard was incompetent. Naturally unintuitive the feds could only treat each murder as a separate event. They could not seem to connect the dots. Clearly the Queen didn't want to deal with _more_ incompetence since their failure to locate three asylum patients.

Ciel smirked as he walked into the mortuary, Sebastian in toe. But his smirk quickly faded. The Undertaker was nowhere to be seen, however his shop failed to fray the young boy's nerves. Thumping his cane on the floor and clearing his throat, the Queen's Guard Dog was greeted by a fit of laughter. A resounding thud came from behind the duo, signaling the Undertakers entrance…from the ceiling.

"How can I help you today?" the Undertaker chortled a bit, stroking the sides of his face with his long dark nails. He was the picture of insanity.

Ciel recovered quickly and began, "I was looking into.." but he was cut short.

"You're looking into the recent murders…hm! Well, I've got the third victim in the back currently. Let's go have a looksie shall we?"

But Ciel was skeptical, "Don't you usually require payment?"

The Undertaker just shook his head and smiled merrily, "No need," he lead the earl and his butler into the back room, "someone has already paid for that information. Left only minutes before you did."

Ciel's could feel Sebastian tense next to him. "And who would that be?"

"Oh just two Shinigami."

Ciel felt curiosity simmer inside him, however held his tongue. Instead he drew closer to the three coffins that held each victim.

All the victims were young, yet each seemed to be from a different social class. The novelist was clearly poor, with his lack of warm clothing. But both the second and third victim seemed to be much more wealth, each sporting a pricey watch.

"The murderer doesn't seem to be discriminating by social class does he? Humans are such fragile things." The butler spoke his master's thoughts.

The Undertaker clapped his hands together as he hovered over the coffins. "They do however share the same murder weapon. The knife was blunt, because the gashes were deep. Each man suffered only one wound, to the head. But the cuts were forced. The blows resemble rips with the caved in portion of their skulls see? Actually," the Undertaker turned and rummaged through a drawer behind him, then produced a knife and dangled it in front of the Earl, "I think you'll recognize this."

Ciel was dumbstruck. It was a knife from the Phantomhive kitchen, his family crest confirming that fact. For a moment he could do little but stare.

"Been doing something knotty have you Earl?"

Finally snapped out of his trance, the young boy faced his demon, and was met with only an unknowing stare and many unanswered questions. "Sebastian did…" Ciel's suspicions were cut short however by a commotion outside. It took only moments for the earl to respond, leaving the Undertaker to slip into an unoccupied coffin.

Outside, the streets were filled with madness. All the carriages and foot traffic seemed to be at a standstill as white notes rained down from the sky and made their way into bystanders' hands. Across the street only a few floors up a new victim swayed against the wind, blood dripping from the noose around his neck.

Sebastian snatched one of the notes from the air then raised an eyebrow.

"My my, this could be problematic."

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**A/N: Well that's all for this weekend. I'm sorry that my updating isn't constant...however I had some free time on my hands and thought...eh why not. I have a pretty busy week so I'm not promising anything for a few days. Hope you enjoyed...and sorry for the ongoing cliffhangers...but I hope you can start connecting the dots. (i love hearing you're theories) Random thought of the day: Uh...uh...I'm not creative anymore...I've been playing a Beta DnD game: Neverwinter...and that's been pretty fun. I recommend it to anyone who's computer can withstand it. Unfortunatly (as I already stated) my computer is barely equipt for such things...as it overheats and has a horrible fan. As I said...my computer can't handle flames...the word or the heat kind. ANOTHER Random thought: Anyone have any good ideas for Anime Expo this year in terms of cosplay? Yes this is pretty open ended...but I'm at a loss as to what to be this year.**

**Have a good week...cheers!**

**Erros**


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